Nigerian self-taught artist from an Igala-speaking community, inspired by the African cultural practice of scarification.
Life is better when we create space for others to coexist. This is a voice for the voiceless, the magic is always in the ordinary, give it a voice and let the beauty out.
Johnson Ocheja is a Nigerian self-taught artist from an Igala-speaking community. Johnson paints detailed scenes of black subjects with blue pigment using the impasto technique. Inspired by the African cultural practice of scarification, Ocheja uses his fingers to produce marks on the skin of his subjects. Ocheja's portraits highlight black consciousness and black beauty. Johnson Ocheja moved to Kaduna State at the age of three and graduated from Kogi State University with a Bachelor's degree in Statistics. Living in two different states with different beautiful stories, cultures and identities, as well as political, religious, ethnic, and racial issues, Johnson uses these matters in his work to discuss how they affect his community.
